Kammatthana literally means "basis of
work" or "place of work". It describes the
contemplation of certain meditation themes used by a meditating monk
so the forces of defilement (kilesa), craving (tanha),
and ignorance (avijja) may be uprooted from the mind. Although
kammatthana can be found in many meditation-related subjects, the term
is most often used to identify the forest tradition (the Kammatthana
tradition) lineage founded by Ajaan Sao Kantasilo Mahathera and his
student Ajaan Mun Bhuridatta Mahathera.

The origin of the name Forest tradition came
from thetheory that the Buddha himself gained awakening in a
forest, gave his first sermon in a forest, and passed away in a
forest. The qualities of mind he needed in order to survive physically
and mentally in the wilds, were key to his discovery of the Dhamma.
Therefore every practitioner should take the wilderness as the
teacher, conform to the ways of nature – the samsara itself
-- and break through to truths transcending them entirely.

Ajaan Sao (1861-1941) originally belonged to the Dhammayut
order in that he unusually had no scholarly interests but was devoted
to the practice of meditation. He trained Ajaan Mun in strict
discipline and canonical meditation practices, set in the context of
the dangers and solitude of the wilderness.

Ajaan Mun (1870-1949) was the son of rice farmers
in the northeastern province of Ubon Ratchathani province,
northeastern Thailand. Ordained as a Buddhist monk in 1892, he felt
that Customary Buddhism had little to offer and so he joined the
Dhammayut order, taking a student of Prince Mongkut as his preceptor.
Unlike many Dhammayut monks, he wasn't interested in the scholarly
environment of his preceptor's temple and went to live with Ajaan Sao.
After wandering for several years with Ajaan Sao, Ajaan Mun set off on
his own in search of the truth and spent the remainder of his life
wandering through central Thailand, Burma, and Laos, dwelling for the
most part in the forest, engaged in the practice of meditation.
Eventually, when Ajaan Mun had reached the point where he believed the
noble attainments was reachable, he returned to the northeast to
inform Ajaan Sao and then to continue wandering. Gradually he
attracted followers that were impressed by his demeanor and teachings.
They believed that he embodied the Dhamma and Vinaya in everything he
did and said. Instead of teaching a single meditation technique, Ajaan
Mun taught them full panoply of skills and then sent them into the
wilds. In 1928, a Dhammayut authority ordered Ajaan Mun's followers to
establish monasteries and help propagate the government's program for
the purpose of domestication against these forest wanderers. Ajaan Mun
and a handful of his students left for the north, where they were
still free to roam. In the early 1930's, Ajaan Mun was appointed the
abbot of an important monastery in the city of Chieng Mai, but fled
the place before dawn of the following day. He returned to settle in
the northeast only in the very last years of his life. He maintained
many of his dhutanga practices up to his death in 1949.

Ajaan Lee Dhammadharo (1907-1961) was one of the
foremost teachers in the Thai forest ascetic tradition of meditation
founded at the turn of the century by his teacher, Ajaan Mun. His life
was short but eventful. Known for his skill as a teacher and his
mastery of supranatural powers, he was the first to bring the ascetic
tradition out of the forests of the Mekhong basin and into the
mainstream of Thai society in central Thailand.

The forest meditation tradition subsequently spread
throughout Thailand and to several countries abroad.

Basic Teachings

This sect follows the Vinaya (monastic discipline)
faithfully. They believe the rules of the Vinaya, instead of simply
being external customs, played an important role in physical and
mental survival. The practitioners observe many of what are known as
the thirteen classic dhutanga (ascetic) practices, such as living off
almsfood, wearing robes made of cast-off rags, dwelling in the forest,
eating only one meal a day. The teaching focuses on the customs of the
noble ones: the practices that had enabled the Buddha and his
disciples to achieve awakening in the first place. And they believe
the true Dhamma cannot be found in old customs or texts but in the
well-trained heart and mind.

This attitude toward the Dhamma parallels what
ancient cultures called "warrior knowledge" -- the knowledge
that comes from developing skills in difficult situations -- as
opposed to the "scribe knowledge" that people sitting in
relative security and ease can write down in words. A text is pointers
for training and authoritative only if its teachings are borne out in
practice. Thus the ultimate authority in judging a teaching is not
whether the teaching can be found in a text but the results of
relentless honesty in putting the Dhamma to the test and carefully
monitoring. So that one learned gradually by trial and error to the
point of an actual noble attainment. Instead of simply imparting
verbal knowledge, a practitioner will be put into situations where
they would have to develop the qualities of mind and character needed
in surviving the battle with their own defilements. These included
resilience, resolve, and alertness; self-honesty and circumspection;
steadfastness in the face of loneliness; courage and ingenuity in the
face of external dangers; compassion and respect for the other
inhabitants of the forest.

It will appear of its own accord to the person who
practices -- because virtue, concentration, and discernment all exist
in our very own body, speech, and mind. These things are said to be

akaliko:
Ever-present.

Opanayiko:
Bring the mind inward to investigate body, speech, and mind when
a practitioner contemplate what already exists within him/her.

aloko:
Blatantly clear both by day and by night;

paccattam
-- Knew clearly for themselves after bringing their minds inward
to contemplate what was already there.

Keeping awareness with the breath is directed
thought. Knowing the characteristics of the breath is evaluation.
Spreading the breath so that it permeates and fills the entire body is
rapture. The sense of serenity and well-being in body and mind is
pleasure. When the mind is freed from the Hindrances so that it's one
with the breath, that's singleness of preoccupation. All of these
factors of jhana turn mindfulness into a factor of Awakening.

Breath Training

The most important meditation technique is this
sect is to focus on the in-and-out breath and to keep mindfulness in
charge, together with the meditation word, buddho (“Buddha”, used
as the meditation word), in and out with the breath. The meditation
word is like bait; it should be dropped once the mind is in place.
Being mindful and alert to the in-and-out breath is the actual
meditation. When the body is still, the practitioner gain knowledge
from the body. When the mind is still, the practitioner gain knowledge
from the mind. When the breath is still, the practitioner gain
knowledge from the breath.

According to the training, there are five levels to
the breath:

The
breath that we breathe in and out.

The
breath that goes past the lungs and connects with the various
properties of the body, giving rise to a sense of comfort or
discomfort.

The
breath that stays in place throughout the body. It doesn't flow
here or there. The breath sensations that used to flow up and down
the body stop flowing. The sensations that used to run to the
front or the back stop running. Everything stops and is still.

The
breath that gives rise to a sense of coolness and light.

The
really refined breath, so refined that it's like atoms. It can
penetrate the entire world. Its power is very fast and strong.

There are two kinds of breath evaluation: the first
is to evaluate the in-and-out breath. The second is to evaluate the
inner breath sensations in the body until the practitioner can spread
them out through all the properties of the body to the point where the
practitioner forget all distractions. If both the body and mind are
full, there's a sense of rapture and ease that results from the
directed thought and evaluation. This is Right Action in the mind.

Breath Training and Eight Noble Paths

The in-breath stress is the stress of arising and
the out-breath stress is the stress of passing away. When a
practitioner concentration has strength through the breath training,
the ability to discern stress, its cause, its disbanding, and the path
to its disbanding will rise within the breath. When all of these
aspects of the Noble Path -- virtue, concentration, and discernment --
are brought together fully mature within the heart, the practitioner
gain insight into all aspects of the breath. This includes the
knowledge of the relation between the breathing method and good/bad
mental states. The breath that fashion the body, the factors that
fashion speech, the factors that fashion the mind, whether good or
bad, letting them be as they truly are, in line with their own
inherent nature. As the practice itself, it can be concluded in the
Buddha’s Eight Noble Paths:

Right View - Knowing when the breath is
coming in, knowing when it's going out, knowing its
characteristics clearly -- i.e., keeping the views in line with
the truth of the breath.

Right Consideration - Knowing which ways
of breathing are uncomfortable, knowing how to vary the breath.

Right Speech - The mental factors that
think about and properly evaluate all aspects of the breath.

Right Action - Knowing various ways of
improving the breath; breathing, for example, in long and out
long, in short and out short, in short and out long, in long and
out short, until the breath becomes most comfortable.

Right Livelihood - Knowing how to use the
breath to purify the blood, how to let this purified blood nourish
the heart muscles, how to adjust the breath so that it eases the
body and soothes the mind, how to breathe to feel full and
refreshed in body and mind.

Right Effort - Trying to adjust the
breath so that it comforts the body and mind, and to keep trying
as long as possible.

Right Mindfulness - Being mindful of the
in-and-out breath at all times, knowing the various aspects of the
breath -- the up-flowing breath, the down-flowing breath, the
breath in the stomach, the breath in the intestines, the breath
flowing along the muscles and out to every pore -- keeping track
of these things with every in-and-out breath.

Right Concentration - A mind intent only
on matters of the breath, not pulling any other objects in to
interfere, until the breath is refined, giving rise to fixed
absorption and then liberating insight.

Meditation paths

With respect to the meditation on physical events
that qualifies as the great frame of reference (mahasatipatthana),
when the practitioner’s mind has fully developed the four paths to
success (listed as bellow), complete with mindfulness and alertness,
the results in terms of the body are the stilling of pain. In terms of
the mind, they can lead all the way to the transcendent: the stages of
stream-entry, once-returning, non-returning, and arahantship. The four
paths to success are:

Chanda
(desire): Have a friendly interest in the breath, keeping track of
it to see when breath is in and what breathe in with it.

Viriya
(persistence): Be diligent in all affairs related to the breath
and be in charge of the breath.

Citta
(attention): Focus intently on the breath. Be observant of how the
external breath comes in and connects with the internal breath in
the upper, middle, and lower parts of the body; in the chest --
the lungs, the heart, the ribs, the backbone; in the abdomen --
stomach, liver, kidneys, intestines; the breath that goes out the
ends of the fingers and toes and out every pore.

Vimansa
(discrimination): Contemplate and evaluate the breath that comes
in to nourish the body to see whether it fills the body, to see
whether it feels easy and natural, to see if there are many parts
the body still have to adjust it. Notice the characteristics of
how the external breath strikes the internal breath, to see if
they connect everywhere or not, to see how the effects of the
breath on the properties of earth, water, and fire arise, remain,
and pass away.

In terms of concentration, there are three levels
in the practice:

Momentary
concentration- the mind gathers and settles down to a firm
stance (a underlying level) and rests there for a moment before
withdrawing.

Threshold
concentration - the mind gathers and settles down to its
underlying level and stays there before withdrawing to be aware of
a nimitta (mental sign, image, or vision). Or without
retreating, the practitioner meditates until an uggaha nimitta
(arising image) appears, contemplates that image until the mind
lets go of it and reverts to its underlying level and stays there
for a fair while before withdrawing again.

Fixed
penetration - the mind settles down to a firm stance on its
underlying level and stops there in singleness endowed with the
five factors of jhana. Keep on contemplating that image until the
mind reverts to a firm stance on its underlying level, reaching
the singleness of the first level of jhana. When the mind
withdraws, keep contemplating that image over and over again until
the practitioner can take it apart as a patibhaga nimitta
(counterpart image).

Note: jhana (Skt. dhyana): Mental
absorption. A state of strong concentration focused on a single
physical sensation (resulting in rupa jhana) or mental notion
(resulting in arupa jhana). Develompent of jhana arises from the
temporary suspension of the five hindrances through the development of
five mental factors: vitakka (directed thought), vicara (evaluation),
piti (rapture), sukha (pleasure), and ekaggatarammana (singleness of
preoccupation).

Seven factors of Awakening

Forest tradition practitioners believe the
hindrances are the breath impregnated with ignorance and darkness,
thus the untended and undirected breath is full of darkness. This
state cuts and closes off our path to enlightenment. Only if these
hindrances are removed, the mind will be radiant and bright. And
seeing the Dhamma can be clear in both cause and effect. Concentration
isthe most effective way to divest our hearts of sights,
sounds, smells, tastes, etc. And it is composed of seven basic
qualities as the factors of Awakening. Appreciating all seven of these
qualities and developing them in full measure within the heart will
result a single point awakening in a single moment.

1. Mindfulness (sati-sambojjhanga): The mind is centered
firmly on the breath, aware of the body, feelings, mind, and mental
qualities.

2. Analysis of present qualities (dhamma-vicaya-sambojjhanga):
Let the breath spread throughout the body to care for its various
parts, making an enlarged frame of reference. To adjust, improve,
choose, and use our breaths so that they give us comfort.

3. Persistence (viriya-sambojjhanga): Stick with the state
as the practitioner keeps warding the Hindrances from the heart.
Don't fasten on or become involved with distracting perceptions.

4. Rapture (piti-sambojjhanga): When the mind is quiet,
the breath is full and refreshing. The practitioner is free from the
hindrances and from every sort of restlessness; it gives rise to a
feeling of brightness, fullness, and satisfaction. This is the
breath of cognitive skill (vijja), meaning the breath lies under the
direction of mindfulness.

5. Serenity (passaddhi-sambojjhanga): The breath is solid
throughout the body. The elements are at peace, and so is the mind.
Feelings are still experienced as they are felt, but at this point
they don't give rise to craving, attachment, states of being, or
birth. Awareness is simply aware.

6. Concentration (samadhi-sambojjhanga): The breath is
firm, steady, and unwavering. The mind takes a firm stance in a
single preoccupation so the knowledge arises. The practitioner will
perceive kamma and its results, both in ourselves and other people
in this state.

7. Equanimity (upekkha-sambojjhanga): When body, feelings,
mind, and mental qualities are fully snug with one another in these
two types of breath -- the mind stays with these aspects of the
breath -- it goes to be still with a spacious sense of relaxation,
not fastening onto many sign, preoccupation, or anything at all.

When mindfulness saturates the body the way flame
saturates every thread in the mantle of a Coleman lantern, the
elements throughout the body work together, both the body and mind
become buoyant. The sense of the body will immediately become
thoroughly bright, helping to develop both body and mind. The
practitioner can now sit or stand for long periods of time without
getting tired, to walk for great distances without getting fatigued,
to go for unusually long periods of time on just a little food without
getting hungry, or to go without food and sleep altogether for several
days running without losing energy.

Samatha and Vipassana

Tranquillity meditation (samatha) is a mind snug in
a single preoccupation. It doesn't establish contact with anything
else; it keeps itself cleansed of outside preoccupations. Insight
meditation (vipassana) is when the mind lets go of all preoccupations
in a state of all-around mindfulness and alertness. When tranquillity
imbued with insight arises in the mind, five faculties arise and
become five kinds of strength:

3. Satindriya (Sati-balam): mindfulness be robust and
vigorous. The awareness becomes entirely radiant in every posture:
sitting, standing, walking, and lying down. This all-around
awareness is what is meant by the great frame of reference.

5. Panyaindriya (Panya-balam): discernment of all things
right and wrong. Discernment can make the mind attain stream-entry,
once-returning, non-returning, or even arahantship.

When these five strengths appear in the heart, the
heart will be fully mature. The practitioner’s conviction,
persistence, mindfulness, concentration, and discernment will all be
mature and pre-eminent in their own spheres. The mind will have the
power to demolish all defilement in the heart.